The slums of Roma ethnic minority in Baia Mare, Romania

A little girl sits on a railway track next to a slum inhabited by a Roma community in the Craica neighbourhood of Baia Mare, north-western Romania, 05 September 2013. This year the local government planned to demolish shanties of the Craica slum and move hundreds of residents to a new housing estate of 500 light structure, modular homes to be set up in the outskirts of Baia Mare. EPA/ZSOLT CZEGLEDI

The slums of the Roma ethnic minority in Baia Mare, Romania

•September 19, 2013

European Pressphoto Agency (epa) photographer Zsolt Czegledi shares with us the most recent chapter of his long term project in documenting the living conditions of the Roma community in the shantytown called Craica in Baia Mare, Romania.

Baia Mare has a population of about 150,000 people and lies near the Romanian borders with Hungary and Ukraine. Originally, around 1,500 Roma people lived in Craica on the outskirts of the city. But they are considered as illegal squatters and plans to relocate them for the better are in abeyance.

The slum area has no clean water and only a limited electricity supply. Selling scrap iron salvaged from abandoned mines in the area is their main source of income.

Since 2011, local authorities have been demolishing shanties and rehousing Roma families in various types of accommodation, ranging from disused factories to old government offices.

The local government says it is trying to lift the Roma out of poverty by giving them better housing and improving their access to education and employment. But plans to build modern social housing for the Roma consisting of 500 light structure, modular homes are still in limbo. (EPA/ZSOLT CZEGLEDI)